


when i'm thinking about you

by sleeplessnights



Category: Actor RPF, Sebastian Stan - Fandom
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluffy, I Tried, Romance, but it'll get there, film set, like hecka slow, sebastian stan will be/is the death of me, this is so self indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-13
Updated: 2014-06-02
Packaged: 2018-01-24 04:18:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1591442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeplessnights/pseuds/sleeplessnights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>sebastian finds the way to make jess smile 24/7.<br/>slow building love, buds from great friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. first day jitters but everyone is smiling a whole lot

I don’t think I’ve ever woken up that fast.

I shakily pulled my loose stripy top and wiggled into my black jeans, heart racing. I slipped on my beat up dark blue toms and grabbed my keys, stuffed them into my dark green backpack along with a toaster waffle and my extra makeup kit, and ran out to the car, my heart pounding with excitement.

I almost tripped down the front steps in the pre-dawn darkness, thankful for the head-clearing gust of fresh air I breathed in through my lungs as I ran across the pavement. 

Today was my first day on the job during shooting.  
As I repeated that to myself, I felt a grin stretch across my face.

Ever since I was around 11, doing technical theatre work had been my heart and soul. During middle school I was the stage manager, makeup artist, and costume designer & builder for all the theatre productions. And here I was, rushing off to work on the set of Captain America (the first film of my Marvel contract), as one of the lead’s hair and makeup artists.

Even though I never would have forgotten, I’d been rereading my welcome letter from the director, Joe Johnston, nonstop for the past week, I looked down at it again on my lap to read the name of the actor who I’d be working on for the next few months. Sebastian Stan. 

I smiled as I turned the radio on and nibbled on my waffle, opening my window a tad to take some more fresh air into my lungs as I sped across the highway. As I neared the set, the sun peeked over the hills on the horizon and, not only burned my eyes, but reminded me that I was crazy enough about this new job to get up before the crack of dawn.

**

I fished the brand-new key I’d retrieved from check-in out from my backpack and unlocked my makeup trailer. Two smiling faces greeted my nervous one.

“Hi! Welcome! I’m Sadie, this is Kip. You must be Jessie!” I smiled gratefully as the longhaired blonde with plenty of freckles who sported a peppy Irish accent, who introduced herself as Sadie, relieved me of the boxes I was carrying. The other woman, Kip, with jet-black hair that framed her face flawlessly, smiled and waved from atop the counter. 

“Hey. You can call me Jess,” I grinned and shook their hands. 

They matched my grins. “We’re Chris’s makeup and hair team. But since you’re Sebastian’s only artist, we wanted to welcome you here since it’s day one.” Kip spoke, revealing an accent that almost perfectly matched mine.

“Hey, are you from Brooklyn by any chance? And that’s so sweet, thank you.” I spoke softly to try and cover the slight tremor in my voice and started unpacking my kits. 

“Yeah I am! It’s nice to hear a familiar voice round here.” Kip laughed which made me grin even wider. I hadn’t met anyone from Brooklyn in my short time working in film. 

“Bugger! Kip, we gotta dash, Chris’ll be here in 10,” Sadie exclaimed as she checked her watch. Kip hopped off the counter and they both came over to give me a hug. I gladly hugged them back. Despite my excitement, it was still my first day working on a blockbuster film. 

“Best of luck! If you need anything, we’re in the next trailer over on the right. See you on set!” Kip threw a high five my way whilst Sadie gave my shoulder a squeeze. Within less than a second, my trailer was quiet.

I took a deep breath and unpacked some of the boxes, setting up the vanity and pinning the shoot schedule, director’s notes, and conceptual designer’s notes to the cute green pinboard next to the door. I began searching round my bag again, this time getting out my portable iPod dock along with my iPod classic. Plugging it into one of my many outlets, Brother by Matt Corby filled the trailer. I smiled, accompanying the chorus with a harmony as I continued to set up and spiff up the trailer.

As Red Hands by Walk Off the Earth came on and I checked the schedule to plan for the first hectic week of shooting, I heard the door to the trailer open. I turned around and waved at the tall, well-groomed man that stepped through the doorway.

“Hi! I’m Sebastian, Bucky Barnes,” He grinned, toothy and very kind, and stuck out his hand.

“Hey, I’m Jess. Jess Woollen,” I spoke softly, my nerves kicking in slightly. I smiled and shook his large, warm hand with my small and cold one. But even if the gesture was purely out of politeness, the way his hand enveloped mine sent shivers down my spine. Happy shivers.

He smiled kindly at me and set his blue Herschel bag down next to the vanity. 

“I’m glad I’m not the only one with a backpack,” I said quietly, receiving a laugh from Sebastian. He sat down and took off his dark green beanie, which looked insanely comfortable. I started to run a comb through his hair, finding it incredibly soft and even a little fluffy. 

“How are you?” Sebastian made eye contact with startling blue-green ocean eyes in the mirror and smiled softly. 

“Happy. Good. Glad to be here. First day jitters, though.” I offered up my last comment with a laugh and he matched it.

He shrugged very slightly, as to not mess up my fingers combing through his hair with only a small amount of mousse. His character, Bucky, was supposed to look quite dapper and groomed, but Sebastian seemed to have no problem with that naturally. His composure was quite poised and even his hat hair held great volume. “Me too. Chris Evans, he’s Steve Rogers, he’s done Marvel films before. Fantastic Four. Hugo Weaving, he’s a big name in film already. So I’m a little more than nervous, but I still can’t believe I’m here myself,” He flashed an endearing grin in the mirror.

“You’re quite brave. And if you’re here, sitting here now, I can assure you you’re quite talented, even if I haven’t seen you perform.” I finished with the last bit of his hair and smiled. This wasn’t that bad. 

“That looks awesome! How did you do the thing with the curl in front?” He grinned and shook his head round, his grin widening after finding that his hair stayed perfectly in place. I giggled. “It stays! So cool!” 

In fact, this might be pretty great.


	2. it’s the second week of shooting and Sebastian is really good at what he does; that being acting and not remembering his keys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I try my hardest to make Sebastian and Jess cute. and according to my friend, who is helping edit, they are cute beyond belief. i hope you think so x

“And cut! Let’s take a quick break. Chris, Sebastian, that looks great.” Joe called over a megaphone. Chris and Sebastian, up on an elevated train set, snapped their tense limbs like puppets and climbed down.

Standing with Sadie and Kip on the edge of the indoor set, we gave Chris and Sebastian a quick but energetic round of applause on some of the last takes of the day. Sebastian’s face flushed with exertion and a genuine huge smile on his face, he jogged over and ecstatically high fived me.

“Dude! That was incredible! You almost made me cry when Chris found you, oh my goodness. You blew me away. That was marvelous.” Words spilled out of my mouth in a tumble, much to his amusement, as I forced him to bend down a little, adding to his amusement. He laughed as I combed my fingers through his hair and reapplied some foundation to his cheekbones. 

“Thank you, Jess. That really means a lot to me. That scene is crazy hard. But I’m glad you like it.” He murmured softly, making eye contact and grinning. I tilted my head to the side very slightly at his reality about the situation, smiling at his endearing demeanor. 

I finished retouching up his face, and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “You’re good. Now finish up, so we can get home!” I murmured and motioned to Joe, who waiting and taking to Kevin Feige, one of the producers, who was gesturing enthusiastically on the other side of the set.

As he jogged away, perfectly in sync with Chris, I walked back over to Kip and Sadie and grinned. As Sadie began eagerly chatting about Chris and how adorable he was, Kip and I laughed along. even though she was speaking too fast for us to even register what she was saying, I nodded and smiled. My head caught up in the events of the day. Happy. Happy to be there. 

**

“oh wait, hold on. I just got a text from Orion.” Orion, the film’s transportation coordinator, had gone to high school with me and it’d been a pleasant surprise to see him mulling around some paperwork in the main office on the third day when I’d gone in to get my newest updates from the conceptual designers. We’d been in the trailer after our longest day so far, Sebastian almost asleep, and myself growing more fatigued by the minute. It was almost 1am, we’d been on set since 7am, and I’d turned up the music on my ipod dock just a little to encourage us to keep awake a little longer. I paused removing Sebastian’s eyeliner to check my phone.

“yeah? What’d he say?” Sebastian sleepily murmured, the dark circles under his eyes matching mine.

“hmmm…they had a mix up with your driver and car, so would Jess be able to be a doll and drive Sebastian back and forth for a few days cause they are close by each other?” I smiled and typed an of course. “Looks like I’m going to be your driving buddy for a while,” I stuck my tongue out at him and the mirror and he replied with an equally unattractive face. “Beautiful. I’ll take that as a ‘sounds great!’ and if you don’t mind, I’ll continue to get this off you?” he nodded obediently, and I could feel him trying not to break into a grin as I finished up the job.

As soon as I finished, we began our daily cleaning up routine around the trailer. Probably not being as efficient or even clean as usual; and most likely putting some things in their not-proper-places, but that wasn’t our fault.

“Ground control to major tom….take your protein pills and put your helmet on,” Space Oddity came on shuffle on from the other side of the trailer and behind his changing curtain I heard Sebastian harmonizing with David Bowie which made me grin like an idiot. When the second verse came round, I joined him and the sound of our sleepy and most-likely-off-key voices filled the trailer. I pulled my Captain America crew hoodie over my head, proudly emblazoned with “Essential Crew for Cap” across the back and a graphic of Cap’s shield across the tummy pocket. After sticking my maroon beanie on my head, snug over what little hair I had, I slung my backpack over my shoulder just as Sebastian came out from behind the curtain, his own Cap hoodie on, along with his own backpack slung over his shoulder, and quite comfy looking sweatpants. 

“No way!”

“Did you peek so we could coordinate?”

“What, no, you weirdo!”

we both collapsed into stitches of hilarity and laughter. Partly because itself, that we were perfectly coordinated, was odd, but also because it was the early hours of the morning and we’d been up for around 19 hours. 

**

we walked quietly across grounds, elbows, arms, backpacks bumping, to the car parks on the other side of the trailer park. The sky, a dark hazy blue, littered with stars, hosted the moon on our far left, lighting our way so we didn’t even need the flashlight I carried round with me.

“you weirdo. Carrying round a flashlight.”

“hey, I am quite well prepared! And you might wanna cut the sarcasm, Sargent, if I’m gonna be your chauffeur till who knows when,” I made a face up at him which sent him grinning ear to ear again, his smile lighting up his whole face.

He slung an arm around my shoulders and allowed me to lean into him slightly as my car came into line of sight.

I let out a happy contented sigh as we walked side by side in the car park, our path lit by the ecstatic moon.

“you okay?” Sebastian looked down at me and I met his gaze. The look on his face shone concern, his eyes giving it away.

“mmmmmm. Yes. I am quite good.” I smiled up at him. “this is pretty much my dream job. Ever. It has been since I was, seven or something. And now that I’m here, this is it. It feels like I’m meant to be here.” With you. With you, you, you. with Sadie. With Kip. With Chris. With Joe, and Kevin, and Orion.

“and I am quite glad,” and he meant it. I could tell. His eyes always gave it away.


	3. in which a sleepover goes down and Sebastian and Jess are cutest when they're exhausted beyond belief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***very important note!!!***
> 
> if anxiety or anxiety attacks are a trigger for you, you might want to skip the last bit of this chapter. i apologize for any inconveniences!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *note: there is an excerpt from a song in this chapter, and being credit where credit is due, the song is by Maria Tanase.

“shoot. La naiba. I forgot my keys in the trailer,” Sebastian muttered some foreign swears under his breath and let his head fall back onto the seat beside me in my car in resignation that he was going to have to make me drive back to set as we neared his apartment.

“really? It’s fine, you can crash at my place. I have the comfiest couch in the world. And plenty of blankets.” I shot a smile his way when I saw his face light up in relief.

“are you sure? I don’t wanna put you out like that.”

“no, of course! It’s just fine! I sent a reassuring grin his way and ruffled his hair.  
“wow. Thank you so much, that is super awesome of you,” he smiled and ruffled my hair sticking out from under my hat in return.

“no problem, Seb. I can make us some tea and some quickie snacks before we both inevitably collapse and never wake up again,” 

“ugh, I know. And tea sounds fabulous.” 

**

“here’s a pile of blankets, and you may have your pick of any. Also, multiple pillows, and if you need anything, you may always wake me up. Although I might be completely passed out, don’t feel bad about it.” I brought a pile of linens from the closet in my room and brought them to Sebastian, already curled up in his hoodie and sweats on the couch.

“you were correct. This couch is quite, quite comfortable.” Sebastian smiled and closed his eyes, practically purring into the one of the blankets I draped over him. 

“up,” I motioned, and he obeyed, before I stuck two more pillows under his head. “your tea will be ready in a moment.” I said, tucking his blankets under his chin, before heading into the kitchen to add honey to his mug of chamomile.

“Jess?” he called from the living room, his sleepy voice trying desperately to sound even relatively awake.

“Yeah?” I responded as I brought our tea into the living room and, after giving him his, curling up on an adjacent chair briefly to sip my tea.

After he sipped his tea and smiled contentedly, he spoke. “thank you so much for this. Oh my goodness, you are the best hostess and this was on only a moment’s notice. You are the sweetest, thank you,” I smiled into my mug and might have felt the tips of my ears turn red.

“thank you so much, Seb. And anytime. Really. I’ve had so much fun on set so far, even though I’ve been nervous ever since I got here, but it truly does help so have someone so welcoming by my side for the majority of time. And, giving thanks where thanks are due, I thank you for that. It means a lot to me.”

It was Sebastian’s turn for his ears to turn red.

“I think I might pass out myself right now, but of course. Of course for helping. I hate when costars are condescending and that obviously makes it no fun to work with them. But meeting people like you and Chris in this business really makes it worthwhile.”

Bits of his accent slipped in and out of his words. But that itself was quite cute.

“I’m gonna leave you to get some rest, alright? Sleep well, Seb, and if you need anything I’m just in the other room.” I got up with my tea from my chair and left the room, smiling at Sebastian and giving his hand a squeeze on my way out. 

“Jess?”

“Yeah, Sebastian?”

“Goodnight.”

**

Sebastian’s POV

Jess is effervescent. She is luminous, and beautiful, and charming, and captivating. She is marvelous at what she does and even better at making one feel at home.

Turns out she took Dutch and Romanian in college and is fluent in both. In all of my time in the American show business, I had only met one person fluent in Romanian. And that was my agent.

I sipped my tea thoughtfully, almost slipping into unconsciousness multiple times. I felt my eyelids grow heavy; threatening to allow me to collapse into Jess’s quite hospitable pile of blankets and pillows. I smiled again; simply at how kind she was. Driving me home. Offering to shuttle me back and forth everyday. Letting me stay over here just so I didn’t have to drive back to set to get my keys.

I set the mug gently down on the coffee table, and carefully removing the blankets from where they were tucked neatly into the couch, I got up to turn off the lights in the kitchen. 

But as I made my way across the room and briefly into the hallway, I heard a noise from down the hallway. A gasp? My heart rate elevated as I turned off the kitchen lights and peered into the hallway. Another gasp echoed off the walls, which made my mind spin. Was that Jess? Was somebody breaking in? 

After another noise, I started walking down the hall as quietly as I could. Tiptoeing down to the end where Jess’s room was.

As slightly as I could, I inched open her door without a creak.

And instead of a burglar, there I saw Jess.  
Legs tangled under her, head in hands, shaking violently. Gasps of air ripping through her body and making her spine twitch. Short, fluffy hair matted up and seeming to forget how to breathe.

Anxiety attack.

**

Jess’s POV

My head throbbed and spun, my legs lost feeling quite a long time ago.  
Perpetually shaking and twitching and jerking violently. Spine, lungs, throat ached from racking sobs and gasps.  
Hands wet from tears digging so far into my close eyes that all I saw were swirling stars.  
But I couldn’t hear anything. My head seemed to block out all sound, whether it was from me or not.

And somewhere in that daze, that panic, I felt someone firmly take hold of my shoulders and steady me.

Hearing my name, again, again, and again. Softly, urgently, persistently.

After a few moments I let my head snap up, seeing Sebastian kneeling before me with my hands, still shaking, in his.

**

Sebastian’s POV

“Jess, Jess, it’s me, it’s Sebastian, you’re alright, you’re okay, you’re here and safe and you’re with me.” I murmured softly once she looked up from the sheets, her eyes swollen with redness and tears and her lip bleeding. Bite marks.

When we made eye contact her eyes widened even more. “No, no no no, S-S-Sebastian no. I’m fine. You have to sleep.” She hid her head against the sheets again, after finding her hands still securely held by mine.

“No, I’m not gonna do that, I’m gonna stay here with you until you’re okay. However long that may take.” Without letting go of her hands, I slowly moved up, onto her bed, and sat opposite Jess. “You’re fine. I’m here. I want you to breathe, okay? Slower than that. Breathe in, 6 counts, hold for 5, and let it out for 7. Shhhhhhh,” I rubbed her hand with my thumb and with my other hand lifted up her chin to meet my eyes and flicked some tears off her cheeks.

Without really thinking about it, I opened my arms to her. Let her fall into them. Slowly shifting so we were leaning up against her pillows and her head against my chest. My arms securely around her, making sure she knew she was physically and mentally safe.

“Pai cine iubeste si lasa,  
cine iubeste si lasa,  
Dumnezeu sa-i dea pedeapsa,  
Dumnezeu sa-i dea pedeapsa,”  
I started to sing an old song my mother used to sing to me. Especially after we’d moved to America. I hadn’t thought about it so much as I was so young, but being thrust into a whole new nation so suddenly took a toll on me, most noticeably in that I could never sleep at night in my new bed. And even though the song was about heartbreak and melancholy, it was quite calming. And I think Jess needed that at the moment.

I let my voice falter, but I heard a small voice come muffled from against my hoodie. “don’t stop. That’s beautiful.” I smiled down a the top of her head and continued, not stopping again until I heard her breaths slow until they evened out into sleep. Making myself slightly more comfortable, I slid down until my head rested against the pillows and her head still pillowed against my chest. 

The last thing I remember is shifting my head slightly, and pressing a soft kiss to her hair. And I didn’t blame it on fatigue.

Right before I finally allowed myself to slip into unconsciousness, it hit me.

Jess feels like home.


	4. it’s six weeks into shooting and it’s quite nice to have someone to be car buddies with especially at 6am

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> movie night goes down; guest starring Chris.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry about the delay between updates!! end of the school year is grueling and hectic and rough, thankfully i'll be outta there soon. hope y'all enjoy this chapter, happy june!
> 
> x

Sebastian is a great car buddy for many reasons. One being he makes me laugh much harder and often for stupid reasons than I thought possible at 6am. Another being he needs someone to run lines with in the car and, to test his true acting ability; I do Chris’s lines in my best Chris impression. Which, essentially, in essence, is a thick Boston accent with lots of uproaring laughter and weird insults.

“yo, Seb, I was wondering if you and Chris would like to come over for movie night sometime. My dad sent me Cool Hand Luke on DVD.” In between bouts of laughter and seriousness, I set down his script on the dashboard and threw a grin his way.

“dude! Yes! I wanna be there when you watch it for the first time. And considering Chris can basically quote ever Paul Newman film star to finish, I think he’d be down for that.” Sebastian laughed and gathered up his script, making some final notes and shoving it into his backpack.

“ok, first, it’s not technically the first time. I saw it once when I was really little, except I think I fell asleep. And also I think another lesson on organizational skills is due with the way you are treating your backpack.” 

He groaned and let his head fall back onto the headrest. “when we come over for movie night, you can have unlimited access to my backpack.”

“thank you.” I smirked and leant back in my seat as well, not minding the rising sun burning my eyes for the time being; as the physical silence was so calm. And perfect.

I pulled into some generic gas station, hopping out for my morning tea and his coffee. Seb opened his mouth, but I cut him off.

“I’m already up. And I’m paying.”

“but you did yesterday-“

“I’m walking away, Seb,” I stuck out my tongue over my shoulder and grinned at his exasperated face.

“someday, Jess Woollen, someday I will pay for coffee two days in a row!”

**

“hey, can you ask Chris if tonight would be good for movie night when you get to block H for shooting later?” I called over the curtain I’d hung up on one corner of the trailer after it became one of our communal changing spaces.

“yeah, sure, and I’ll buy snacks as well – aw. I love your pajamas,”

“but isn’t it nice when I make an effort to look decent?” he frowned jokingly as I came out from behind the curtain after ditching my pajamas that I’d driven in and into slightly more work appropriate clothes; today a white collared tank top (fitting for the humid weather that had taken over northern California during the process of shooting) and loose fitting boyfriend jeans (favorite pants).

“whatever,” he rolled his eyes playfully and sat down in the vanity chair, already combing his fingers through his hair to “bucky-ify” it.

**

“CHRIS!” I opened the door and was immediately enveloped in a big bear hug by none other than Chris Evans, Captain America. Otherwise known as the biggest and cuddliest teddy bear in the world.

“Good evening, Jess! HEY SEB!” he greeted me with a warm grin and consequently yelled over my shoulder, grin widening, at Sebastian, sprawled out on the couch in low hanging sweats and a shirt I’d gotten him from H&M for his birthday, which happened to be two days prior. 

After taking Chris’s sweater and accepting the updated notes from the conceptual designers sent to me as well as ice cream he’d brought, I settled in between Chris and Sebastian on the couch, pressing play in Cool Hand Luke. 

“I’m sorry, I still cannot believe you haven’t seen this movie since you were 6 or something.” I looked up at Chris, shaking his head.

“shut up! I’m watching it now, you geek,” I laughed and folded my arms, but not before giving him a sharp jab in the ribs with my elbow.

“will you two stop bickering so I can enjoy classic Paul Newman?”

“yes, mom.”

That last comment from Chris made me double over in laughter, leaving a grin plastered onto my face. I looked over at Seb, and surprisingly, not with his own retort ready. Just smiling at me.

I felt him throw an arm around my shoulders and pull me back up onto the couch. “get yourself together, Woollen,” murmuring too quiet for Chris to hear, a smirk playing across his eyes.

**

Sebastian’s POV

“so, when are you gonna ask her out?” I almost choked on my tall glass of water at Chris’s words, as he leaned nonchalantly against Jess’s counter, casually sipping his tea.

“what? Em, who?” I tried to find something on the kitchen tile to focus on as I felt a blush creeping up my neck.

“dude, you are so high school. Just ask her to prom, I’m sure she’ll say yes.” He rolled his eyes and motioned at Jess, still curled up on the couch and sleeping. 

My heart rose in my chest at the sight of her, so at peace.

“chris,” I started, running my hands through my hair, “I don’t even – she wouldn’t say yes. And I wouldn’t wanna ruin our friendship or anything. That’s the last thing I wanna do.”

“you are so obviously into her. And she is too. It’s blatantly obvious, Seb! Trust me on this one. Do you even see the way she looks at you?”

chris’s words made the blush creep steadily up and rose into my cheeks.

“thanks, man,” I gave up trying to keep the grin off my face as it spread, shamelessly, ear to ear. Reaching up to scratch behind my ear as Chris set down his mug on the counter.

“I gotta go, you know i’m at set even earlier tomorrow. but don’t be afraid to make a move. I believe in you, my friend,” chris walked over for a hug.

“thanks. Again.” I whispered as we walked past Jess, still soundly curled up on the couch. Undisturbed.

“make sure Jess knows that I had a great time! Get some sleep, buddy. Take care of her.” With his final wise words and a smile, Chris disappeared out the door, leaving me and sleeping sedated Jess.

I tiptoed back over the couch after turning off the DVD. Being extremely careful, I slid my arms under her back and the crooks of her knees, easily lifting her into my arms. As I carried her out of the living room, she stirred and started blinking heavily, pupils dilating as she looked up at me.

**

Jess’s POV

I was shaken back to reality by the feeling of being swung through the air ever so gently. The scent of something; rather someone, comfortably familiar, struck my senses. The scent of clean sheets and chamomile and fresh rain. And after struggling to open my eyes, I looked up and saw Sebastian. Looking down at me with a gaze of something I hadn’t recognized in his eyes before. His eyes; a pale shining blue. That I’d gotten lost in too many times.

“Seb - ?” my voice cracked. The look in his eyes accompanied by a small smile.

“shhhhh, Jess, you’re going to bed.”

He nudged the door open to my bedroom easily; flicking on the lamp beside my bed as he peeled back the covers and set me down gently. I felt my eyes grow heavy once again as my blinks lengthened.

He straightened out the covers and flicked the light back off, giving my hand a squeeze and turning to leave. And then a few words spilled out of my mouth; unplanned.

“stay with me, Seb. Please.”

I couldn’t see anything without my glasses; let alone with the lights off. But as I heard a soothing hum in agreement, I felt the right side of the bed sink and two strong arms curl around my waist and pull me close. I hummed in contentment, hearing a chuckle from beside my ear.

“mmmm, thank you Seb.”

“goodnight, Jess.”


	5. oh and the answer / well who would have guessed / could be something as simple as this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter title is from jake bugg's song "simple as this" off the fault in our stars soundtrack
> 
> there are a couple of things in Romanian in this chapter. The first thing Sebastian says means “why so early” and the first thing Jess says means “I apologize / I’m sorry”. I apologize for any typos, i’m learning Romanian from my aunt (my family is Romanian).

Jess’s POV

“good morning, sleepyhead.” I grinned into my morning tea as Sebastian lumbered into the kitchen, squinting, yawning, but still smiling.

He took one look at the digital clock on the stove and winced, drawing back slightly. “5 am? Oof. De ce atat de devreme…” 

my grin widened at his mumbling Romanian. “Îmi pare rău,” I spoke softly into my mug, blushing at the growing smile on his face, eyes wide open.

“mmmm, I forgot you spoke Romanian,” he murmured and walked over to pour some milk in his tea I’d already made. We stood shoulder to shoulder by the counter. I leaned into the countertop, warmed by his presence. Fixing his tea in such a methodical and normal way that it almost surprised me how enraptured I was in his movements; his appearance. His bedhead made my heart rise in my chest. His low hanging sweatpants that showcased a small stripe of tanned and toned skin made that feeling in my stomach spark throughout my body all the way to my fingertips.

“shall we?” I broke from my reverie to see Sebastian smiling still; holding tea and balancing two bowls of oatmeal I’d set out, while holding the screen door to the balcony open. I gripped my tea in my hands, walking out past him to the small table complete with two chairs atop my humble balcony; looking out over pre-sunrise Northern California. 

A cool breeze whisked past us through the air as the pre-sunrise sky kissed our faces with a gentle glow. I settled into my chair, curling my legs underneath me and tucking into my oatmeal.

**

Sebastian’s POV

“thanks for staying over.” She spoke softly, with humbling eye contact.

“anytime. Thank you for letting me.”

“no, really. Thank you. I get lonely too often and it’s nice to have someone here with me. Sometimes the anxiety is too much and…it’s nice to have somebody to bring me back down to earth. To anchor me.” She spoke out to the horizon and somehow brought me in closer.

“thank you.”

“for what?” now the tone in her voice was wary.

“for sharing that with me. Trusting me.” The concern in her eyes shed away, revealing something else. A look I hadn’t seen in her eyes before. Her eyes; a sharp blue-grey with a ring of hazel fire around her pupils.

“you’re easy to trust. For me. In a good way. Cause that doesn’t happen a lot.” 

“hey Jess, can I ask you a question?”

“you already did, my friend, but I permit another one.”

“would you go to dinner with me?”

she stopped drinking her tea.

“or really, we could do anything. The zoo. The park. The ocean. Bowling. Anything. Actually, I’d like to do all of those things.”

“with me?”

“with you.”

“yes.” She stepped on my words, still burying her face in her tea. But I still saw the corners of her eyes crinkling and a blush rising in her face.

I felt a warm rush leave my head and spread throughout my body; crackling nerves from my fingers to my toes to my heart to my head and all the way around again. 

And without my brain thinking, just the rush, I reached across the small table and traced a finger across her ear and down her jaw to her neck; feeling the warm shivers I caused with my touch.

She set her tea down, revealing wet pink lips that the rush suddenly urged me to kiss. 

**

Jess’s POV

The spark started a fire on my skin when it made contact.

He got up, walked the one and a half steps over, and stood, towering over me. I almost immediately stood up and felt his arms snake around my waist, pulling me closer and closer until we stood no less than a centimeter apart.

I felt his hand cup the side of my face and tilt it up ever so slightly. And with that look, that look I didn’t recognize, burning in his eyes, his lips grazed mine and started a fire.

He waited, ever the gentleman, until the spark resting in my throat shot up and took control and surged. 

His lips claimed mine, gently, then passionately, then something in couldn’t even recognize from the lack of thought process in my mind.  
I felt his lips move along my jaw, causing small gasps to fly out of my mouth, unchained. He only stopped at the border of my skin and the thin fabric of my shirt, leaving a final kiss.

**

Sebastian’s POV

Kissing her made my mind go point blank. The feeling of us colliding made me forget who I was.

***

her effect on my rivals the power of the sun. 

driving with her to the studio, talking about the shoot and Bucky and his future plotline, just us, talking together, it hit me. Not anything about the reality of the conversation; just what she is and who she is. To me.

Jess is home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay for quick update!! i know i updated yesterday, but i just had a surge of creativity and busted this shortish chapter out. enjoy x

**Author's Note:**

> feedback is always 100% appreciated! enjoy x


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